When the 15th and 17th Corps of Sherman's Army entered Kershaw District on February 23, 1865, at Peay's Ferry on the Wateree River west of Liberty Hill, then crossed the district in three days, and were poised to exit it on Lynches River at Young's Bridge, Tillers Ferry and Kelly's Bridge, locally the war was all but over.

I like to write my weekly column on humorous topics when possible. During my months here, I've managed to sprinkle in some stories of goofy things that have happened in my life and there are more I would love to convey to you. I'm probably not as funny as I sometimes think I am, but those are still the kinds of musings I prefer.

BISHOPVILLE -- Lee Correctional Institution, South Carolina's largest maximum-security prison, gets plenty of bad press -- from a riot and a lockdown in February to drone-delivered contraband a few days ago.

Several times during the nearly 15 years I've spent here at the Chronicle-Independent, I've had the privilege of covering the Upchurch & Jowers All-County Academic Team banquet, as I did a week ago tonight. As I continue to work on the education beat I took over a few months ago, I'm sure I'll attend many more of these special events in the years to come.

In what could be considered an extension of my column from last week, which was about the misuse and abuse of government programs such as "food stamps," EBT cards and welfare, I've been giving the matter a lot of thought on a broader scale.